Safety razor



Aug. 28, 1945. J. w. MEALEY sAFETy RAZOR Filed Feb. 10, 1 944 2 Sheets-Sheet l I nvenor Azzaneys Aug. 28, 1945. .1. w. OMEALY SAFETY RAZOR Filed Feb. l0, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1945 UNITED-f STATES PATENT OFFICE'- SAFETY RAZOR John Warren OMealey, Larchmont, N. Y. Application February 10, 1944, Serial No.1521,837 2 Claims. (Cl. 30--73) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety razors of a type using a thin interchangeable blade and has for its primaryobject to provide a flexible guard forming the lower clamping member for the blade and responsive to clamping pressure to flex its outer lateral edges toward or awayfrom the respective cutting edges of the blade from an integral fulcrum point inside each lateral edge.

A further objectI is to generally improve the performance and utility of a safety razor of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a partial end elevational view showing the guard in its normal unexed position.

Figure 3 is a smilar View showing the guard edges flexed away from the blade edges.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe razor taken on the line l-Il of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 5--5 of Figure 4 showing the guard in its normal unflexed position.

Figure 6 is a similar view taken on a line 6 6 of Figure 4 showing the guard flexed.

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of the guard, and

Figure 8 isa plan view of the guard.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 designates an outer clamping head of longitudinally curved form having a central threaded stem 6 and a pair of studs I adjacent the respective ends of the head for insertion in openings 8 in an inner clamping head 9. The stem 6 is freely inserted through a central opening in the head 9 and into a threaded bore Il)v of a handle Il for drawing the heads together in clamping engagement with a double edged blade I2 positioned between the heads.

A guard I3 of resilient metal or plastic materialv is interposed between the blade and the inner clamping head, the guard having openings I4, I5 and I6 for passage of the stem and the two studs.

Tongues I'I are struck downwardly from the central end portions of the guard to engage and be held in grooves 9 at the ends of the inner head 9, thus centering the .guard on the inner head. If desired, the head 9 and guard I3 may be integrally constructed.

The inner head 9 is formed with a longitudinally extending raised flat base I8 forming a saddle underlying the center of the guard and the guard is formed with a central flat portion I9 terminating in vertical sections 20 inwardly from each side edge to define a pair of shoulders 2| forming fulcrums against which the underside of the blade abuts at points"y inwardly of the side edges of the blade as shown in Figure 5.

The side edges of the guard extend laterally outwardly from the vertical sections 20 beyond the side edges of the blade and spaced therefrom, the edges of the guard being formed with a head 22.

Clamping pressure of the outer head and blade against the shoulders 2l will rstly position the blade for shaving as in Figure 5. Additional pressure against the resilient part I3 will ex the guard into the position shown in Figure 6 where- -by the beads 22 of the outer edges of the guard will be moved away from the edges of the blade and thus the distance between the blade edge and guard will be regulated in accordance with adjustment of the clamping pressure of the beads while the effective parts are held in proper cutting alignment. l

The adjustability thus obtained provides the user with a positive and 'secure means of setting the razor to any degree from a very light to a very close shave. f

It is believed that the details of construction and manner of use of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A razor of the class described comprising an inner clamping head and an outer clamping head adapted to clamp a blade therebetween, a flexible guard positioned between the blade and the inner head, said outer head having its lateral edges curved toward the inner head and projecting bevr yond the sides of the inner head, said inner head having a relatively narrow contacting surface with the guard, said guard having a normally flat central portion and side edges offset from the plane of the central portion to dene shoulders inwardly of said side edges engaged bythe outer clamping head and free of the inner clamping head and responsive to clamping pressure thereof to flex `the guard for adjusting its lateral edges relative to the cutting edges of the blade,

2. A razor of the class described ,comprising an inner clamping head and an outer clamping head adapted to receive a blade therebetween, means for moving the heads relative to each other into and out of clamping engagement, said outer clamping head having lateral edges curved toward the inner clamping head, and projecting beyond the inner clamping head a flexible guard positioned between the blade and the inner head, i

tonguesonthe ends of the guard disposed incontact with the 4respeetix-feend edges` ofi the'inner 

